whats most important
 

Hey :) I'm pretty new and trying to get an idea on what I should be looking for in a weight loss... What do you feel is most important to you in a weight loss program? :o

Hi Kira. My name is also Kira. :) Welcome. I think everybody's journey is a little bit different. You have to realize what your most important goals are. Is it looking a certain way(size, complexion, etc), feeling a certain way(more energy, less feeling of bloat/excess gas, ect), overall healthfulness (getting off of meds that deal with issues that are directly related to weight like BP meds or cholesterol meds, diabetes meds, GI meds, etc), self love/just being the best you that you can be. For me, I think it started with size. My start in this was actually quite traumatic bc of a very insensitive bf that I held onto for 10 years and is now my ex....still quite an open wound even a year and a half later. while it was good motivation for me in the start, I realized that as things slowed down I needed less superficial motivation. Now I am on this journey for overall health and self love. It is actually quite helpful bc honestly, the scale hasn't done much moving for me in the last year. It has been really frustrating at times, but I remind myself what my goals are. My goals are more related to blood work up #s, my gut health, my strength, my performance when I dance or am on the soccer field, my overall happiness. So when the scale does not change but I realize that I do a HIIT program that includes 25 squats, 60sec planks, 30 crunches, 20 jumping jacks, 30 lunges, 60 sec wall sits, 55 sit ups, 60 butt kicks and 30 pushups.....and be able to complete 5 sets of that.....and REALLY realize that I JUST DID THAT and felt strong and kick *** when I did it, is what keeps me going bc I know that last year, while I weighed the same wt, I couldn't do that craziness. Hope my long winded answer helps you

For me it's about eating nutritious food that's minimally processed - I know people can have great losses with pre-packaged meals, juice box type protein shakes etc. but for me learning about and working with 'real' food is very important. I got to be over 280 pounds by eating things that came from factories covered in plastic wrappers...so it's a re-education for me.

I hate meal prep though, I just cook day-to-day. It's important you find something that works for you with your lifestyle, schedule etc.

i need support for a programme to really work. i tend to overthink and stress about every morsel so i need someone to tell me im doing ok.

I'm new here, too. But I'm not new to weight loss. Everybody wants to lose weight for different reasons. You just need to come to terms with what your reasons are and make sure that your weight loss program addresses them for you.

most important factor is sustainability. your best chance of long term weight loss is to find a plan that you will be able to stick to. does

Kira (AKA Kiwi1222) has it right. First, you've got to get really clear about your goals and your why before you can figure out the how. And those goals can and will change over time as you move through your journey. Improved health, increased fitness and endurance, sexy aesthetics ;)? All of those things are valid why's, but they're vague. Dig deep and figure out why you want to lose weight and/or get in shape. For example, I want to lose weight for improved health BECAUSE I want to get off and stay off of my blood pressure medicine. Why? So that my husband and I can have another baby. How? I will do this by eating 1700 calories a day and walking for 30 minutes at least 3x a week as recommended by my doctor.

And like she said, forget about the when. Sometimes, non-scale victories are what you've got to focus on because the body is a complex biological masterpiece that doesn't always cooperate in showing your work on a scale. My pants are looser, my joints don't ache as badly, I have more energy for housework, I feel more mentally focused. Those are equally worthy measures of success. Someone said something about the scale that has stuck with me forever: A scale only measures your relationship with gravity on the surface of the earth, not how hard you work or the effort you put in to improving your health.

Once you've figured out your goals and your why, some things to consider in a weight loss journey:
How structured of a program do you want? Do you want someone else to tell you what to buy at the store, what and when to eat, and how and when to work out? Or do you want to have some flexibility? Or a combination of both with strong support at the beginning and less as you get your feet under you?
How strict do you want to be? Some people thrive in a strict environment, some people don't. Do you want the freedom to adjust to your own daily schedule or do you want a regimented program?
How do you want to deal with nutrition? Do you want a program like Medifast or Jenny Craig that provides all your meals for you? Or do you want to learn how to cook and control portion sizes on your own? Or maybe a combination of both?
How intensely do you want to work out? Sweat dripping, heart pumping, everything you've got exercise? Or a group fitness class? Or something more easy on the joints like yoga, belly dancing, walking?
How much emotional support do you want? Sometimes, losing weight can drag out of us some hidden emotional triggers like feelings of worthlessness, ugliness, or isolation. Some people need the support of a counselor, some a support group like Over-eaters Anonymous or WW, and others just a really close friend they can talk things out with. But make no mistake, emotional health will definitely come up at some point in anyone's WL journey.

I hope this super long post helped and gave you some ideas on what to consider.

I know logically it's what you eat. But, with that said for ME it's exercise. Reason being, when I work out I watch what I eat and how much I eat because I refuse to lose all that hard work to a candy bar- or two!

For me, I can get really lazy. My friends put me on an amazing system. It's been really easy for me to follow as well keep me accountable. I've dropped over 12 pounds in 34 days so far. More energy then i could ever hope for, and the spouse like it too....lol Good luck

For me what's most important in a weight loss program is that its something I can stick to. I've tried so many different programs over the years and many of them are just so restrictive that I don't have the willpower to stay on them for more than a few days. I'm in the process of starting my weight loss journey again now but this time I'm literally keeping it as simple as possible - mainly just drink more water, cut down on my sugar intake, eat smaller meals, and not eat outside of meal times (I work from home so I'm close enough to the fridge to be constantly grazing!)

I want to be able to change my lifestyle and fit for life. It's important to have a healthy diet and incorporate a good fitness program in my routine. ( :